# CVE-2024-42009: RoundCube Webmail Cross-Site Scripting

> Remote attackers can steal and send victim emails via crafted messages exploiting a sanitization flaw in Roundcube webmail.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 9 Jun 2025 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2024-42009, GHSA-j43g-prf4-578j, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-42009, USN-7636-1

## What is CVE-2024-42009?

CVE-2024-42009 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in Roundcube Webmail, published on 5 Aug 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability in Roundcube through 1.5.7 and 1.6.x through 1.6.7 allows a remote attacker to steal and send emails of a victim via a crafted e-mail message that abuses a Desanitization issue in message_body() in program/actions/mail/show.php.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42009?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Roundcube Webmail.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-42009?

Upgrade to a fixed version. US federal agencies must fix it by 30 Jun 2025.

## Is CVE-2024-42009 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2024-42009 in the wild since at least 9 Jun 2025.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2024-42009 Proof of Concept (github_poc): https://github.com/DaniTheHack3r/CVE-2024-42009-PoC
- This script exploits a stored XSS vulnerability (CVE-2024-42009) in Roundcube Webmail version 1.6.7. It injects a malicious payload into the webmail system, which, when triggered, exfiltrates email content from the victim’s inbox. (github_poc): https://github.com/0xbassiouny1337/CVE-2024-42009
- This Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrates an exploit for CVE-2024-42009, leveraging a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability to extract emails from a target webmail application. The attack injects a malicious payload that exfiltrates email content to an attacker-controlled listener. (github_poc): https://github.com/Bhanunamikaze/CVE-2024-42009
- https://github.com/ZaidArif47/CVE-2024-42009 (github_poc): https://github.com/ZaidArif47/CVE-2024-42009
- https://github.com/Shubhankargupta691/CVE-2024-42009 (github_poc): https://github.com/Shubhankargupta691/CVE-2024-42009
- https://github.com/segunakinsoyinu/CVE-2024-42009-roundcube-xss (github_poc): https://github.com/segunakinsoyinu/CVE-2024-42009-roundcube-xss

## Other vulnerabilities in Roundcube Webmail

- [CVE-2025-68461](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68461/): RoundCube Webmail Cross-site Scripting (high 7.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2008-5619](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5619/): PHPMailer susceptible to arbitrary code execution (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-37385](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37385/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-42008](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42008/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-74997](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74997/): Command injection in Webmail (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-42009 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-42009 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in Roundcube Webmail, published on 5 Aug 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2024-42009 in the wild since at least 9 Jun 2025.

Affected product: Roundcube Webmail. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42009/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42009/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-42009
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-42009
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-42009

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42009/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.